eCash was one of the earliest forms of cryptocurrency, created by Dr. David Chaum and implemented through his company, DigiCash. This revolutionary new way of transferring funds allowed users to send and receive money anonymously, without needing to use traditional currency or relying on third-party processors like banks or credit card companies. By utilizing a concept known as blind signatures, eCash created a secure environment with message content invisible until signed, thereby ensuring unique identities for each transaction. This ensured that no user could link a particular withdrawal or spending transaction to any other user.

Unfortunately, despite the ample interest and partnerships with major banks, eCash never caught on as it had promised. After much effort, DigiCash was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1998.

Dr. Chaum, however did not give up on his vision of bringing revolutionary changes to the world of currency. In 2018, he launched a new startup in the field of applied cryptography. This new venture looks to bring a new level of anonymity to digital currency by developing an app specifically designed to increase privacy of cryptocurrency users.

Though eCash may have ultimately been unsuccessful, the concept of digital currency has exploded, providing users with a secure, anonymous form of transferring funds with increased privacy. The technology created by Chaum was groundbreaking and formed a foundation for many of the advancements that have been make since in the cryptocurrency industry.